by L. A. Casey
“You’re like a dog in heat.”
Keela snickered as Alec turned his gaze towards me. Slowly.
“You’re a plague,” he told me.
I smiled a toothy grin.
“Upon your house,” I finished.
Alec rolled his eyes. “You were definitely put on this Earth to mess with me.”
“I’m serving me purpose well then, bitch.”
I screamed like a banshee when he suddenly lunged at me, wrapped an arm around my neck, and pulled until I was bent at the waist. I gripped his arm with one hand, then fisted his shirt with the other.
“Alec!” I screamed with laughter. “Don’t even think—”
I cut myself off screaming when he gave me a noogie. I tried to break his hold but couldn’t, so I used the only weapon I had. My teeth. I chopped down on Alec’s forearm, and he yelped and released me instantly.
“She bit me!” he stated, then to me, he said, “You bit me!”
“Ye’ squeezed me so tight me boobs were about to pop.”
Alec’s eyes dropped to my chest, and I instantly threw my hands up in the air.
“Really?”
He grinned, his eyes returning to mine. “You mentioned them.”
“There is somethin’ really wrong with you.”
“You say that like it’s new information.”
I shook my head and grabbed Keela’s hand.
“Let’s join Bran and Bee out back,” I said, tugging her out of the room. “I need ye’ to have your demon spawn today just to start Alec’s turmoil for the next eighteen years.”
“A plague!” he shouted after us. “You are a plague!”
And that was Alec Slater basically declaring his love for me.
Two days later…
“What do ye’ think the doctor is goin’ to say?”
My da squeezed my hand tightly. “It’ll be good news.”
I stared at him. “What if it’s not?”
“It can’t be anythin’ other than good news,” Da replied, his voice tight with emotion. “She can’t be anythin’ other than healthy. Not after what she’s been through. Life can’t be that cruel.”
I wanted to tell him that life didn’t care what you had been through; it put bumps in the road no matter what turn you took.
I leaned my head on my da’s shoulder and closed my eyes. I’d felt sick from the moment I woke up that morning. It had nothing to do with my ongoing fight with Damien and everything to do with my mother. Today, we found out the results of her mammogram. We would find out if her cancer was gone, or if she needed more treatment to get rid of it. Me and my da were nervous wrecks, and we had just one another to lean on. My ma asked that it just be the three of us at this appointment, so that meant Damien wasn’t here for me. Our stupid fight was still ongoing, but he intended to come with me to the hospital until I told him what my ma wanted.
He went to work instead and told me to call him when I found out the news. I prayed to God that when I did that, I would have something good to tell him. We had been in the hospital for a whole hour waiting to talk to the professor who headed the medical team assigned to my ma during her whole cancer ordeal, and when she entered his office just for a few minutes by herself, we were left feeling very uneasy. She said she wanted to ask him some private questions before we all went in to hear the results. I remained seated outside with my da as they disappeared into the room, and when we looked at one another after five long minutes, we stood at the exact same time.
Something wasn’t right.
We both started for the door of the doctor’s office, and we entered it without knocking or announcing ourselves. My heart stopped beating and my hand latched onto my da’s forearm when I saw that my ma was sitting in front of the doctor’s desk … in tears.
“No,” I said outlaid. “No, please. No.”
My ma jerked her gaze to the doorway when she heard me, and when she saw us, she smiled, though she was still sobbing.
“I’m cancer free!”
For a few seconds, no one moved, spoke, or even breathed. Then, like the snap of my fingers, I screamed and rushed at my ma. I heard nothing but the sound of my own heartbeat in my ears. When I wrapped my arms around her, I hadn’t realised I was crying until my lungs told me to take a breath. I felt my da’s arms wrap around us. Both he and my ma were talking over each other, and they cried and laughed at the same time.
When we separated, I placed my hands on either side of my head in disbelief.
“This doesn’t feel real,” I said. “I prayed for this, begged God for this.”
“It’s real, sweetie.”
“Ma!” I scowled. “We were supposed to be with you when ye’ found out.”
“I know, but honey, I wanted to know first in case it was bad, so I could be aware and could comfort you and Daddy.”
I blinked. “If it was bad news, comfortin’ us isn’t what you should be doin’.”
“You and your da come first.” She shrugged. “Always have and will.”
I leaned in and pressed my forehead against hers.
“You’re better.”
Her arms came around my waist. “I’m better, bear.”
When I cried once again, it was to my mother’s musical laughter. It took a further five minutes of hugging, crying, and laughing before we settled down in front of the professor. I listened as best as I could as he repeated my ma’s test results to us. She was cancer free; her surgery and radiation had been successful, and no cancerous cells were left inside her breast.
The professor went into detail about how the mammogram worked, and how accurate the result was. When we left his office, it was after we had set up an appointment for my ma to return in one year for another mammogram. Once the cancer stayed away, she only required yearly tests.
I felt like I was floating, like everything was too perfect for it to be real. As my da drove us home, I phoned Damien.
“Hey,” he answered on the second ring. “What happened?”
“She’s better,” I said. Closing my eyes, I scarcely believed the words. “The results show no cancer. She’s better.”
“Baby, I’m so happy for her, for you, and your dad.”
“I can’t believe it,” I said. “I really didn’t think this would be the news we were goin’ to receive. She’s one of the lucky ones, Dame.”
After I phoned Damien, I phoned Bronagh, who screamed and cried, triggering more tears to fall from my eyes. Once I assured her I’d come over to her house soon, I got off the phone with her and spent the next few hours at my parents’ house. Together with my ma and da, we had lunch and then a really long conversation about the future and how it was wide open and ours for the taking. When my da dropped me to Bronagh’s house, I felt lighter than I had felt in months. Bronagh tackled me with a hug when she opened the door, then dragged me into the kitchen where I filled her in on my ma’s hospital appointment.
“Alannah, I’m so happy for ‘er,” she beamed. “So, so happy.”
I smiled. “Me too, Bee.”
She sighed, long and deep.
“Nothin’ will top what ye’ just told me, but do you know that Alec has been trainin’ Tyson? Whenever liquid hits the floor, he has to come and find ‘im. He said he’s doin’ it so if Keela goes into labour around ‘im, he’ll alert Alec to the scene. Keela has been pupsittin’ Tyson the past two days because of it.”
“Yeah, I know. We made a bet about it.”
“I don’t even wanna know.” Bronagh snorted.
“Are you havin’ any signs of labour?” I asked. “If you were, it would be the cherry on top of a perfect day.”
“I felt some pains this mornin’, but nothin’ since, so I’ve no idea.”
I got excited.
“Do some jumpin’ jacks or squats. It might help.”
“If I squat around Dominic, he’ll get grouchy because he’ll want to touch me, but he knows we can’t have sex ‘cause he hurts me too much.”
“Tell the big baby it’s to get the little baby out, and he’ll just have to suck it up.”
Bronagh chuckled. “I’ll pass it on.”
My phone rang just as the kettle boiled.
“Hello?”
“Houston, we’re havin’ a baby.”
“What?’
“Me water broke.”
“Keela!” I gasped, startling Bronagh and Georgie. “Your water broke? Where is Alec?”
Bronagh clapped her hands together in delight, and Georgie copied her.
“He just got in from work. Me and Tyson were in the sittin’ room, and out of nowhere a huge gush of water that I couldn’t control just ruined the bloody settee. Tyson started barkin’ and ran from the room and got Alec who had just pulled onto the driveway. The man has unpacked and repacked the hospital bag twice just to make sure we have everythin’.” Keela chuckled. “He is in full-on daddy mode. I can barely get ‘im to focus on me for more than two seconds.”
“What will we do?” I asked, unsure. “I’m freakin’ out.”
“Branna is headin’ to the hospital to be the lead midwife on me delivery. I already called ‘er. She told us to come to the hospital and go from there. Aideen is meetin’ us there since she’s gonna be there for the birth as well. Alec will keep you all updated. I promise.”
“Babe!” I squealed. “You’re gonna be a mammy!”
“I know!” she said, her voice cracking. “I can’t believe it. I got some pains an hour ago, and now me water has broke. It’s movin’ so fast!”
“Wish ‘er good luck for me,” Bronagh said, gaining my attention. “Tell her I love ‘er.”
“Bronagh says good luck, and that she loves you. I love you, too.”
“I love ye’ both, too,” Keela said, then groaned. “I have to go. I have a pain, but Alec will keep you updated.”
After I hung up the phone, I looked at Bronagh and said, “Alec and Keela are about to have a baby!”
“I can’t believe it,” Bronagh gushed. “I can’t wait to see them with a baby of their own. They’ve been tryin’ since Aideen was pregnant with Jax.”
I covered my mouth with my hand.
“This is unreal,” I said. “I’m so excited.”
“This leaves Damien as the only Slater brother who isn’t a daddy.”
My smile slowly slid from my face, and Bronagh’s eyes widened.
“I didn’t mean it like that, I swear. I just mean it in a ‘four down, one to go’ kind of way.”
I focused on Georgie. “I know what ye’ mean. It’s okay.”
“Alannah”—she sighed—“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be sorry,” I said. “I know Damien wants kids with me. It’s not news.”
“He just sees his brothers expandin’ their families and wants that experience too.”
“I know.” I nodded. “And it makes me feel like shite because I want that too, and I don’t know if holdin’ off is doin’ anyone any good. I mean, what am I waitin’ for?”
“You’re waitin’ for the right time.”
“I don’t think there ever is a right time to have babies.”
Bronagh didn’t reply, and she was saved by Nico when he entered the house. He was just as excited as we were when we told him Alec and Keela’s news, and he nearly squeezed me to death when I told him my ma’s news. He phoned Damien to let him know about their brother and Keela, and I felt even worse because I should have been the one to make that call. Bronagh went to take a nap not long after Nico came home, and Georgie went with her, rubbing her eyes with her tiny hand.
“What’s wrong?”
I looked up at Nico when he spoke.
“What?”
“Something’s wrong, so tell me what it is.”
I hesitated. “It’s nothin’.”
“Alannah.”
“It’s just this stupid fight I’m havin’ with Damien. It’s been goin’ on for two days. This is the longest fight we’ve ever had.”
I filled Nico in on what we argued about, and he remained silent as I spoke.
“He doesn’t get that I’m worried about rushin’ things.” I frowned as I picked invisible dirt from under my nails. “I just … I don’t even know what to think because I want to get married and have babies, but somethin’ in me mind makes me pause.”
“Talking is what you guys need to do.”
“I tried that,” I huffed. “He started the fight and left for work.”
“That was a dick move on his part, and I’m sure he knows that.”
“I guess.” I sighed.
Bronagh called for Nico to help her get comfortable in bed, and I used it as an excuse to take my leave. I walked back to my apartment building, enjoying another hot day. Instead of going up to my apartment, I got into my car and scrolled through some new emails. I opened an email from IKEA to read through their latest offers, and my eyes went wide when I saw the sale they had on art supplies. As well as the new shipments of supplies, they had restocked others. I usually went to my local craft store to get my supplies, but when IKEA had deals on, I took notice.
Always.
That email decided what I was going to do while I waited on news of Keela and Alec’s baby. I put my car in gear and drove towards the bypass. It took twenty minutes, but eventually, I merged with traffic on the motorway. I turned up the volume on my radio and bopped along. Just as Celine Dion was about to slay bitches everywhere with her high note in “The Power of Love”, my car jerked mid-drive.
For a moment, I thought I was in the wrong gear, but when I checked, I noted that I wasn’t. I gripped the steering wheel when the car jerked again, then out of nowhere, smoke came from the bonnet of my car, and the engine made an awful chugging noise. Instantly, I signalled to the left. Pulling into the breakdown lane, I flipped my hazard lights on when I came to a stop.
“Ye’ve got to be jokin’ me!”
I tried to start the car again, and nothing happened.
“Fuck!” I shouted and thumped the steering wheel. “Fuck, fuck, fuck!”
This was the last straw with this piece of shite car. It had cost me nothing but money fixing its many issues over the past two years, and I was done. I had earned enough money to buy a different car, something a lot smaller if I wanted a newer model, but anything would be better than the piece of shite Ford I currently owned. I got my phone from my bag and dialled Ryder Slater’s mobile number.
“Alannah?”
“Ryder?”
“No, it’s me.”
Damien.
I wasn’t surprised to hear his voice and dumbly asked, “Why’re ye’ answerin’ your brother’s phone?”
“Why are you calling my brother’s phone?”
His tone irked me.
“Because you’re an eejit, and I don’t wanna speak to ye’.”
He snorted. “Fine … here, you deal with her attitude.”
If one of us had an attitude, it was him.
“Thanks,” Ryder grunted. “Asshole.”
Silence.
“Hey, Alannah banana.”
That silly nickname he had recently taken to calling me made me feel like a little kid. I pretended that I found it annoying, but I secretly thought it was cute. I think Ryder knew that, so he kept on calling me it.
I sighed. “Hey, Ry.”
“What did my pigheaded baby brother do to annoy you?”
“Oh, nothin’, he just threw a tantrum that would rival Georgie, Jax, Locke, and the twins put together.”
“Well, fuck a duck.”
“My thoughts exactly.”
He chuckled. “What’s up, kid?”
“Me car broke down on the motorway. It made this really angry chuggin’ noise, then the engine just gave out. I’m sittin’ in the breakdown lane and don’t know what to do.”
“Which exits are you between?”
“Ten and eleven goin’ northbound on the M50.”
“We’ll get to you in about twenty minutes … maybe thirty,
depending on the traffic. Okay?”
“Okay,” I answered. “Did ye’ know that Keela was in labour?”
“Yup,” he replied, popping the P. “Branna called me, and Nico called Damien. Branna just checked on the twins in the daycare unit at the hospital, so she’ll be able to be on shift to deliver their baby.”
I pressed my hand against my chest. “I’m so happy she’s doin’ it.”
“Me too,” Ryder answered, then muffled shouting could be heard in the background. “I gotta go, kid. We’ll be with you soon.”
He hung up before I could reply. I sat in my car for ten minutes before the heat became too much so I popped the bonnet before I got out of the car, lifted it up and propped the stick thingy in place to keep it open. I placed my hands on my hips and stared at the engine. Other than some lingering smoke and the intense heat of the machine, nothing seemed out of place. Not to me anyway. I moved to my right when I heard a car pull up behind mine. I knew it was too fast to be Ryder, so I wasn’t surprised when I found a tall, middle-aged man approaching me with a friendly smile.
“Car trouble?”
“Yeah.” I nodded. “I’m not sure what the problem is, but I’ve called roadside rescue to get it sorted.”
“Let me have a look for ye’,” he said. “I’m Peter, by the way.”
“Alannah.”
Before I could say another word, the man rounded on me, his elbow brushing my arm as he passed me. He focused on my engine, and I moved around to keep an eye on him. We talked back and forth for what seemed like an eternity, and the entire time, he asked me if he could give me a lift anywhere to which I replied with a firm no.
“Honestly,” I said to the man, feeling uncomfortable, “I’m really okay. Like I’ve said, I called roadside rescue and—”
Both myself and the man looked over our shoulders when a horn sounded. I was relieved to see the tow truck sporting the C.A.R. logo for Collins Auto Repair approaching us before pulling in front of my car in the breakdown lane and rolling to a complete stop. I should have been surprised when Damien got out of the driver’s side of the truck, but I wasn’t. I watched as he approached us, and I cursed at how attractive I found him in dirty work clothes when I wanted to remain angry with him for being a shitebag.